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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. field — for sport
  4. season — in sport
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. mug — to rob
  7. row — to paddle
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. swing — in golf
  11. press — to push
  12. press — a publisher
  13. mug — a cup
  14. field — farmland
  15. stem — to come from
  16. swing — music
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. field — a subject
  20. fork — in a road
  21. row — a line
  22. swing — to play on
  23. season — of the year
  24. mug — a face

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com